Thunder Roads Magazine of Oklahoma/Arkansas May 2016 | Page 28

READER SUBMISSIONS
on the roadway. He had gotten out of the truck and appeared to have been beside it with the door open. Kerry
had hit the back of the truck so hard that it pushed the
truck 25’ and tore the tailgate off. When the bike hit the
truck at this velocity, the paint popped off the tank of the
bike and stuck on the truck back windshield and front
of the drunk man who was knocked out on the roadway
beside it. The bike was cut in two and found in the ditch.
Kerry was in the ditch beside the bike. He was wearing his
helmet. An ambulance hauled him away from the scene
but he was pronounced dead on arrival. The driver of the
truck was charged with vehicular negligence and DUI.
As time went by, Kim got increasingly concerned
about how a person can legally purchase a bike and go
out and ride it to their death. This sounds harsh, but these
parents had a wide awakening in the loss of Kerry. Kerry
didn’t have an M endorsement on his license, hadn’t ever
ridden a bike, had no basic riding course, had purchased
the bike on Craigslist and had no insurance. While they
realize that we must all be responsible as an adult, of
which Kerry was, we don’t always make the best choices
for ourselves. Soon after the court case, they had moved to
Oklahoma. As they spoke to various law enforcement, they
found few answers to the resolve of how to help others.
Finally, they were told to seek out ABATE of Oklahoma.
Within a few hours, Kim and Bob were standing in the
annual SMILE conference of ABATE of OK. They were
quickly embraced by the officers and members as their
story unfolded. ABATE was happy to embrace a couple
who sought to educate riders on motorcycle safety.
Turn the clock forward and three years later, Bob and
Kim are standing members who ride a motorcycle themselves. They have not only been members of ABATE of
Oklahoma but they have won awards for their participation and enthusiasm to spread the word to anyone who
rides, especially to the ‘invincible’ young men and women
who don’t think they need safety. Kim says if she could
send one message, it would be to get your affairs in order
if you’re out there riding carelessly without training or
consideration for your well-being. Bob asks for anyone
who rides to please take a riders safety course.

28

Thunder Roads Magazine of OK/AR